Collapsible hook structure



July 8, 1952 K. O. MATZ COLLAPSIBLE HOOK STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 12. 1949 1N VEN TOR.

KEN/Vffh 0. MA rz.

2mm? W arraeue Y5 Patented July 8, 1952 2,602,689 COLLAPSIBLE noon s'rrmo'rmm Kenneth OJMatz, Bremen, Ind.,

assignor of onehalf to Edward .R. Matz, Mishawaka, Ind. Application October 12, 1949, Serial No. 121,033

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a collapsible hook structure, and more particularly to a structure used as a grapnel hook, a. boat anchor, or the like.

Devices of this character, and particularly grapnel hooks, are quite large and, when not in use for their intended purpose, require "substantial storage space. Thus rescue squads, police emergency squads, and other units whichuse grapnel hooks for their work and whichare' required to transport the same from place to place, encounter difliculty because of the size and the non-collapsible character of the unit, and also possible injury or difliculty due to the fact that the structure presents a number of projections which may be engaged accidentally by persons walking past the same.

It is the primary object of thisinvention to provide a collapsible hook structure in which the parts are so combined and arranged that the structure is held in extended position during use, and particularly during the exertion of a pull thereon, but which can be collapsed to substantially fiat condition with its overall longitudinal and lateral dimensions reduced to accommodate its convenient storage and transportation.

A further object is to provide a structure of this character wherein a plurality of hook members are swivelly connected to a head and are normally positioned by a longitudinally slidable cross-head in locked non-rotative divergent relation, said cross-head and hooks cooperating in one selected relative slidable position thereof to accommodate inward'swinging of said hooks and also the rotation of said hooks, whereby said hooks may assume substantially parallel position in adjacent planes.

Other objects will be apparent from thefollowing specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of position. I,

Fig. 2 is a side view of the device in collapsed position.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectionalview taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of one of the hook members. 7

Referring to the drawing, wherein the invention is illustrated as applied to a grapnel hook, the numeral l0 designates a rigid plate forming a cross-head andhaving a series of apertures l2 formed therein, which apertures are substantially equi-spaced from each other and from the center of the head ID. The cross-head [0 also has a central aperture formed therein.

A plurality of hook members, preferably of the construction best illustrated in Fig. 6, is provided the device in extended in the device. Each of these hook members has 2 an elongated shank portion I6, a return bent portion l8, and a pointed end portion 20. 'The hook members are of substantially uniform cross-sectional shape throughout their length, and, as here illustrated, are preferably of square or rectangular cross-section. It will be understood, however, that the cross-sectional shape of the hook members may be of any shape found suitable, it being essential, however, that said shape be noncircular, for purposes to be mentioned hereinafter.

Adjacent its free upper end the shank of each hook has a reduced dimension cylindrical portion 22. Said cylindrical portion 22 is positioned between the major portion of the hookshank l6 and an enlarged head 24 formed integrally at the free or upper end of the shank, as illustrated in Fig. 6. The cylindrical portion 22 of each hook shank fits in one of the apertures [2 of the plate or head It), and the parts are held in assembled relation by virtue of the fact that the apertures H. are smaller than the head 24 or the noncircular shank portion It. The cylindrical portions 22 fit in the openings I2 with clearance,-

however, suflicient to permit rotation of the grapnel hooks and also at least a limited amount At the intermediate portion of the shank I6 is provided a second reduced dimension cylindrical portion 26.

A second plate or cross-head'ZB is provided in the device, said plate being provided with a number of apertures 30 therein equal to the number of apertures l 2, the same being preferably spaced apart a distance greater than the spacing of the apertures I2 but being substantially equi-spaced and equi-angularly related. Each of the apertures 30 is of a shape substantially conforming with the cross-sectional shape of the shank portion 16 of the hook and is of a size to freely and slidably, but non-rotatably, receive a'hook shank therein, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The plate 28 has a rod 32 secured thereto centrally thereof in any suitable manner. The -rod 32 has a free sliding fit with the aperture [4 of the crosshead l0 and preferably terminates in an eye portion 3A.

In the use of the device the parts are positioned and related as illustrated in Fig.1, with the shiftable or slidable plate or cross-head 28 fitting around the shank portions ii of the hooks between the cross-head l0 and the-reduced hook portions 26. The hook will be suspended from a cable, chain or other suitable, line, at the eye 34 of the rod 32 so that the weight of the assembly will be suspended from the rod 32. This permits relative downward movement of thehook members and the cross-head II) to cause the 3 parts to assume theliposition illustrated in Fig. l. It will be-obse'rved that the-shanks iii of the hooks are urged to a downwardly diverging relation by reason of the fact that apertures 30 of the plate 28 are spaced apart a distancegreaten than the apertures l2 of the plate Hi. The ex within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

tent to which the hooks are permitted to diverge is determined by the clearance of the parts-in the respective openings of the, plates, I and 28.

Inasmuch as the non-circular portions l6 of the of the plates 28, the hooks are held against rotation and the prongs or points l8, thereof are held'inoutwardly diverging. position or relation as illustrated. As long. as the device is con:

tinuedin normal usage with some pull being fex-f erted upon the rod 32, the device will remainin its extended operative position illustrated in Fig. 1. The device; is so constructed nthatit" has ample strength for its intended. use when it is operatively positioned. V 1

The device can be collapsed to a muchsmaller compass, as illustrated in Fig. 2, by positioning the plate 28 in register with the reduced cylindrical portions 26 of the hook shanks. It will'be observed that the rod 32 is of such length that when the plate 23 registers with the shank portions 26, the eye 34 thereof will be near to but clear of the upper plate [0 and the heads 24, thus'reducing the length of the device as illustrated-in Fig; 2. Also, when the reduced. cylindrical portions 26 are located in-the apertures 35) thereof, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the hooks may be rotated so that their prongs or points all extend in the same direction and lie substantially parallel to one another. This greatly reduces the lateral dimensions'required of the space the device may be stored. v The sliding movement of the cross-head 23 away from the cross-head I 0 in adjusting 'the parts from the operative position shown in Fig. l

to the storage position shown in Fig; 2 entails,

reduction in alldimensions of the device; The. over-all length of the device is reduced to a length only slightly greater than the over-all length of one of the individual hooks In other words, only the eye portion 34 of the rod 32 projects lengthwise beyond the constituent hooks in the Fig. 2 position. Also it will be apparent that as the spacing between the parts I!) and'28 increases, the angular displacement-of the shank of each of the hooks relative to the rod 32 is reduced, thereby tending'to swing the shanks of the various hooks toward parallel compactly-arranged position. The reduction in length, the

inward swinging of the hook shanks to ward' parallel relation, and" the rotation of the hook prongs so that they can lie substantially parallel to one another, close spaced and facing in' the same direction, greatly reduces the amounti-o'f storage space required, as compared to the storage space which would be required for the same hook in its extended position shownin 1. This facilitates handling of the hook in collapsed form as well I as stora'ge thereof by avoiding danger of impaling a user upon the hookfprongs.

It will be apparent that the number "or hooks used in the structure may vary, and tha't the shape of the books may vary In other-words, it is not essential that the use and purpose 'of' the structure be' limited to grapnel hooks. Where hooks for other purposes, such as boat anchor Within which l0 shanks fit within the non-circular apertures 30 .1. A, collapsible hook structure comprising a J plurality of hookseach hook having an elongated shank of non-circular cross-sectional shape interrupted intermediate its ends by a reduced portion, of substantially circular cross-sectional shape, a head member rotatably mounting said hooks at their. ends, and across-slide member having apertures ofa sizeand shape to slidably receive said hook shanks and restrain the same against rotation, said hooks being rotatable when said cross-slide membenregisters with the reduced-circul'ar portions of saidhook shanks.

. 2,;A collapsible hook structure comprising a plurality of hooks each having an elongatedv shank,;a pair of cross-heads each having, a plurality of apertures receiving said hook shanks, a predeterminedportion adjacent the end of each shank havinga rotative non-slidev lit in one'of the. apertures of onecross-head and the apertures of the other cross-head receiving said shanks with a non-rotative slide fit, said shanks each including a reduced portion spaced from said predetermined shank portion and accommodating ,rotation when heated in said last named cross-head apertures.

3. A collapsible hook structure comprising a plurality .of hooks each having an elongated shank of non circular.cross sectional shape, each shank. including a pair of longitudinally spaced reduced. dimension portions, located between shank portions of larger size, one reduced shank portion being located adjacent the end of each shank, a plate having, a plurality of apertures each journalling' said end reduced dimension portion and of a'size smaller than the shank portions on opposite sides of the journaled portion,

and a cross-head having a plurality of apertures each slidably and non-rotatably receiving a non-circular portion of a hook shank and adapted to be positioned in register with the second reduced dimension shank portion.

4. A collapsible hook structure as defined in claim 3, wherein the apertures of said plate are spaced apart distances different than the spacing between the apertures of said cross-head.

5. A collapsible hook structure. as defined in c1aim3, and a suspension member carried by said hooks, are involved, it will be app 'rent'um the same advantages of collapsibilityf'for 'a -bo'at" anchor can be provided. Thus, while themecross-head, said cross-head being held spaced from said second reduced dimension shank portions when depending from said suspension member.. H

6. A collapsible hook structureasdefin'ed in claim,3-, and a suspension member carried by, said cross-head, said plate having an aperture slidably receiving said suspension member.

KENNETH 0-. 4MA'IZ.

REFERENCES CITED .The following references are of record in the fileof this patent:

I UNITED STATES PATENTS Number,"

Italy; nnhlfl May s, 1927 

